Timer distributor mechanism for internal-combustion engines



1,641,370 C. E. BERKDOLL TIMER DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 1l, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 6, 1927.

Se t. 6 1927.

p c. E. BERKDOLL TIMER DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL'COMBUSTIONENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l1, 1924 Patented Sept. 6, 1927.`

UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BERKDOLL, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR,BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TODELCO-REMY CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

TIMER DISTRIBUTOR 'MECHANISM Fon INTERNAL-COMBUSTION mismas.

Application led July 11,

This invention relates to the timer distrib- L advance mechanism is itsoverlapping rela tion with the supporting bearing for the drive shaftwhich drives the timer cam. This design permits the timer cam to bemounted upon the drive shaft quite close to the supporting bearing. Bythus reducing the amount of overhang between the bearing and cam thetendency toward lateral vibration or wobble of the cam is overcome. Ofcourse for uniform operation of the primary circuit interrupter at allspeeds it is necessary that there be no vibration in the timer cam. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide anl improved means forassemblinuI and clamping the vmanual lever to the timer ousing in anydesired position. Y

Another ob'ect is to provide improved quickly releasa le mounting meansfor mounting the condenser .within the timer housing.,

Another object is to'fprovideV improved and simplified means foranchoring in place the lower end of the spring clips used for detachablyholding the distributor head on the timer housing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description. reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a referred form of embodiment ofthe invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a timer distributor mechanism built accordingto this invenpresent tion but with the distributor head and rotor.v

removed. f

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but 'with 1924 Serial No. 725,513.

spark advance mechanism for advancin the position of the timer camrelative to its l 've shaft according to the engine speed.

Fig. 4 is ay view similar to Fig. 3, but shows a modification whereinthe automatic spark advance mechanism is omitted. A comparison of lFigs.3 and 4 shows the slight increase in the amount of overhang between thetop drive shaft bearing and the timer cam due to the addition of theautomatic advance mechanism.

Y Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the simplified means for anchoring inplacethe'lower end of the spring clips for holdin'g the distributor headin place.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 and showsv in particular themeans for clamping the condenser in place in' the timer housing.

v Fig. 7- is' a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 3

.and shows the means for adjusting the de gree of spark advance forapredetermined engine speed.

ig.`8 is a, detail view of the timer cam unit having rigidlyl securedthereto the depending advance cam member which coacts with thecentrifugal ring to advance the timer cam.

Figs..9, 10 and 11 are views showing the manual advancel lever and meansfor assembling itY upon the timer'housing and clamping it rigidlythereto in any desired position.

Fig. 9 shows how the enlarged aperture in the -manual lever maybeslipped over the lower end of the housing to its proper place -at theannular groove in the housing; Fig. 10 illustrates thevman-ual levermoved laterally in the annular groove in the housing so that theserrations on one side of the aperture in 'the lever engage the housing;and Fi -11 is a detail of the clam ing member w ich is screwed to themanna lever as clearly shown ,in Fig. 3 to hold the serrated portion ofsaid levery in ti ht engagement -with the housing.

Inlthe ravvingssimilar reference characters refertojsimilarparts-throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 designates a stationary part of the engine which serve'sas arigid su port and bearing for the entire timer distributor unit. Thisunit is divided in three parts, namely, the automatic advance mechanismunit, the timer unit, and the distributor unit. The housing 11 housesthe automatic advance unit and is provided at lts lower portion with ajournal 12 which isguided and supported by the bearing 10, as clearlyshown in Fig. 3. This journal 12 is provided with a central bore withinwhich the drive shaft 15 is mounted upon the upper and lower bearings 16and 17 respectively. The upper bearing 17 is formed on a boss 13projecting within the housing 11, the upper end surface of said boss 13forming a step bearing 18 for supporting the shaft 15 and theA partsattached thereto. A collar 19 rigidly secured to shaft 15 by pin 20coacts with the step bearing 18 to support shaft 15. The lower end ofthe journal 12 engages a collar 21 rigidly secured to shaft 15 by a pin22 'to hold shaft 15 against vertical movement 1n bearings 16 and 17.

vThe timer cam 25 is rotatably mounted upon the upper reduced portion ofshaft 15 and has rigidly fixed thereto a depending cam member 26 (seeFigs. 3 and 8), the

urpose of which will appear hereinbelow.

he collar 19 is provided with a depending portiony 30 which telescopesor overlaps the boss 13. The centrifugal ring 31 is pivotally mountedupon thedepending portion 30 on the pivot screws 32 (see Fig. 7). It isthus seen that the centrifugal ring 31 is driven by the drive shaft l5but is pivotally mounted upon an axis located below the top edge of boss13. The ring 31 has itsinternal aperture so sha ed that the boss 13 doesnot interfere wit its swinging motion about pivots 32. A coil spring 35has one end attached to the projecting end'36 of pin 20 and the otherend thereof attached to the lug 37 on the small cup 38 which is rigidlysecured to the centrifugal ring 31 by the pivot screw 32 (see Fig. 7)This coil spring 35 is tensioned to normally hold ring 31 inclined tothe axis of shaft 15 as shown in Fig. 3 and to yieldably resist thetendency of rin 31 to take a position perpendicular to sha t 15 duetocentrifugal force when the shaft 15 is rotated. By adjusting the tensionon coil spring 35 the ring 31 may be made to assume any desired positionfor an given speed of rotation of shaft l5. `Suc an adjustment is easilyaccomplished with this invention simply by looseningthe pivot screw 32and rotating the cup 38inthe desired direction and again tighteninIscrew ,32. The teeth or serrations 39 on 'tjeedge of cup 38 are adaptedto tightly'ei age the ring 31 and thus aid in firmly hol ing cup 38'riidly clamped to the ring 31. The cam member 26 rigidly attached to thetimer cam 25 is pre erably arcuate in form with the pivot axis of ring31 at its center. This member 26 is provided with "a spiral cam slot 27within which/the reduced end portion of screw 28 engages. This cam slot27 is long enough topermit the full swinging movement of ring 31. Itwill be obviousV that as the ring 31 swings to different anglesaccording to the speed of rotation of shaft- 15 the pin 28 coacting withthe cam slot 27 will cause the timer cam 25 to rotate relative to theshaft 15. The shape of the cam slot 27 is such that the position of cam25 relative to the shaft 15 is advanced or retarded according to thedesired degree of advance or retard for the `ignition spark. Thedistributor rotor 40 is fixed relative to the timer cam 25 and is ofcourse advanced or retarded therewith in a manner well known in the art.

The housing 41 contains the various parts of the timer unit and fitsupon the top of the lower housing 11 and is secured thereto by the twoscrews 42 and 43 which pass through suitable ears provided therefor inthe metal of the two housings 11 and 41. This timer unit contains astationary insulated contact point 44, and a movable contact point 45mounted upon the arm 46 pivoted upon pin 47. The caln follower 48rubbing upon the timer cam 45v operates the movable contact 45 in amanner well known and which forms no part of the present invention. Themovable contact 45 is grounded to the housing 41 by the spring 49 or byany other suitable mea-ns. The cylindrical condenser unit 50 is heldclamped in place between the upper arcuate flange 51 integral with thehousing 41 and the lower leaf spring 52 whichis riveted to the underside of the bottom wall of housing 41 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Theseclamping connections ground the cylindrical casing which serves as oneterminal of the condenser 5,0. The insulated terminal of the condenseris-connected to the insulated terminal post 55 by means of the' metalstrap 56. This metal strap also aids in supporting and holding in placeone end of condenser 50. It will be obvious that when the end of strap56 is disconnected from the terminal post 55 the condenser 50 may bereadily slipped from under the arcuate lug 51 and thus removed, or itmay be easily replaced in its proper position and securely eldtheresimply by' pressing it downward upon the le'af spring 52 until itpasses under the overhanging pomt of the arcuate lu 51.

The distributor head 60 is molded from some suitable insulatingmaterial, as bake.-

lite, and preferably has tliedistributor segments 61 molded in'place4and freely projecting a suitable distance beyond the interior surfaceof the wall. lThe high tension current jumps the small air gap betweenthe distributor arm 62 and the segments 61 in a manner now well known.Heretofore the sides of the segments 61 have been covered withinsulating material, leaving only the surface adjacent the distributorarm 62 free. The high tension spark may then pass over a small part ofthe insulation immediately ils burn. away the insulating material.

adjacent the segment'61 and thus begi'hto is burnin when once startedprogresses continuous y over quite a distance and may even burn aconducting pathway from one segment 61 to another and thus obviouslydesti-oy the proper operation of the distributor. This conduct-ingpathway is apparently caused by va carbon deposit left when theinsulating material vis decomposed by the high tension spark. Accordingto this invention the insulating material at thesides of seg# ments 61is omitted (as clearly shown in Fig. 3) and thusthe above describedditiiculties are prevented.

The distributor head 60 is designed to nest upon the to -periphery ofthetimer housing 41'. and is oeated in its .proper vposition thereon' b twosmall depending lugs (not shown) w iich fit within the recesses 65 (seeFig. 1). -Two spring clips 66 engage in suitable lnotches 67 on top ofthev head 60 to hold the same down upon the timer housing 1 (see Fig..`5). The bottom end of the vspring clip 66 is rolled up to form an en`-larged 'rounded end 68`as clearly shown in i Fig.5. The timer housing 41is provided with a suitable recess 69 to receive the enlarged end 68,the bottom side of `the recess Yslight distance from the housing 11, aswill be obvious from the structure shown .in Fig. 5.

' The manual lever 70 for the manual adjustment of the spark is rigidlyattached to the housing member 1l `for rotating the same and therebyrotate all theparts of the break-v er mechanism relative to the timercam-25.

A feature ofl this invention is the simplified means for assemblin thelever 70 upon the.

housing l1 and rigi ly clamping it thereto This lever 70- isl in anydesired position. i provided with an aperture 71 large enough to permitthe lower end 12 of housingll to pass therethrough (see 9). An annulargroove '72 is provided in the member 11 `of a width substantially equalto the thickness of the lever 70 .(see Fig. 3). Intercepting theA larveaperture is a semi-circular aperture .73 of a'fradius substantially ualto that of the annular groove- 72. It wi l now be clear that the lever70 -may be. moved to `the position shownl in V1I) whereinY thesemi-circular aperture 73 is in engagement l` /with the. housing 11y vatthe annular groove 72. rThe parts ybeing inthis position, the

sli htly arched 'clamping member 75 is attac edv to lever`70 by thescrew 76 (see Fig. 3). It is obvious that the clamp 75 will hold thelever 70' in tight engagement with'the member 11 and thus permit theturning thereof by lever 70. Preferably the periphery ofaperture 73 isprovided with teethl or serrations, as shown in Fig. 10, to give abetter driving engagement between the lever 70 and housing 11. The lever70 is held down and its range of movement determined by the screw movingin theV arcuate slot 81, as will beI obvious from Figs. 3 and 10. Anadvantage of this adjustable means; for

securing lever 70 to housing 1'1 -lies inthefact that the entirenon-rotating 'mechanism' of the timer distributor unitVmay--beset'in anyone of six different positions in the case lof a six cylinder enginedistributor (in.

order to place the primary circuit terminal 55 and the oiling hole 85,in the mostA convenient posit-ions) and then the lever 7 0 may berigidly secured theretoin the above de-v.

scribed-manner. Also this adjustable means ,permits the accuratelocation of the segments 61 relative tothe-position of the distributorarm 62 both at the time of first assembly'and j .i

at any later .time when the'parts mayl get out of accurate locationk dueto wear in the:l

l driving .mechanism of the'l distributor arm 62.

Fio'. 4 illustrates a modified form of timer distributor unit similar tothat shown lin Fig. 3 exce t that the automatic advance mechanism asbeen omitted. It will be clear from -a comparison of Figs., 3 and 4 thatthe -amount of overhang between the timer cam 25 and the to drive shaftbearing 17 has been increase by the addition of the automatic advancemechanism only a very slight amount. This construction eliminates thenecessity of an additional bearing placed above .the automatic advancemechanism in order to holdftlie cam 25 in perfect alignment with thedrive shaft. With the elimination of such 'a'bearing thev entirestructure is greatly 'simplified and rendered more economical'tomanufacture. v While the form of embodiment of the presentinventionasherein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to beunderstood that other forms might be adopted, all com`v ing within thescope of theclaims which fol- What is claimed is` as follows:

1. An automatic spark .timing device for the ignition system --ofan vinternal combustion engine, comprising inr combination, a housing havingan 'inwardl extendnr bearing portion; a drive shaft joui'nal'led- '1nsaid bearing and extendin into the housing; a- A,breaker cam rotatab ymounted on said..

shaft; an arcuate memberprovided with a spiral vs lot, secured tothebreaker cam; a

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sleeve secured to the -drive shaft 'adjacent 18 jacent said bea the endof the bearing portion, said sleeve having depending ears, oppositelydisposed, and extending over and partially surrounding the end of thebearing portion; and a centrifugal member pivotally secured to the earsof the sleeve and operatively connected to the spiral slot of thearcuate member; and a. spring connected between thev centrifugal memberand the sleeve for holding the centrfugal member normally in sparkretarding position.

2. In any automatic spark advance mechanism for an iv terpnalcombustionengine, in combinatiom-a le shaft rotatably mounta Weighted centrifugalring piv'itallyv io nted upon said shaft adj g `nd yieldably restrainedto lie atfa'n` acute ngle with said shaft whereby lsaid@'jing at;V`vleast partly encompasses said bearingrafbreaker cam mounted upon" saiddrive Ashaftclosely adjacent said bearing and having a spiral cam membereX- tending outwardly adjacent said centrifugal ring,\and a lug rigidwith :aid centrifugal ring and engaging said spiral cam for advancing orretarding the position of the breaker cam relative to the drive shaft.

3. In an automatic spark advance mechanism for an internal combustionengine, in combination, a drive shaft having a stationary bearing7 avfitting' mounted upon said shaft adjacent said bearing and projectingdownwardly about said bearing, a centrifugal ring pivotally mounted uponsaid fitting below the top edge of said bearing, a breaker y can?mounted .upon said shaft adjacent said fitting and having an advance cammember secured thereto and extending downwardly adjacent the centrifugalring, and cam engaging means rigid with said ring for engag ing saidadvancing cam for advancing orfetarding the position of the breaker camrelaf tive to the drive shaft. j

4. In an automatic timer mechanism for the ignition system of aninternal combus tion engine, a breaker cam for interrupting the primaryignition circuit, a drive shaft lfor driving said'breaker cam having astationar bearing, said breaker cam being adjustab y mounted upon saiddrive shaft relatively close to said bearing, and automatic cam toadjust the position thereof accord- Ving to the speed of rotation ofsaid drive shaft.

5. In an automatic advance mechanism for the ignition system of aninternal combustion engine, a drive shaft having a centrifugal memberpivotally mounted thereupon on a pivot substantially perpendicularthereto, a coil spring surrounding Said pivot for yieldably urging thecentrifugal member toward alignment with the axis of said drive shaft,and means for adjusting the tension of said coil spring for varying theposition of said centrifugal member at a predetermined speed of rotationof Said drive shaft, said mean; comprising an adjustableiitting forsecuring one end of said coil spring to said centrifugal member, saidfitting being held in adjusted position by said pivot.` l

Ina timer mechanism for the ignition system of an internal combustionengine, a cup-shaped housing for said mechanism, a. condenser havingquick detachable mounting upon raid housing, said mounting comprising 'aprojection rigid with said housing extending about Said condenser andspring means secured to said housing and Iengaging the under side ofsaid condenser to hold the same in firm engagement with said projcction.

7. In a timer distributor mechanism, a

timer housing, a supporting base therefor to which said timer housing isremovably secured, a distributor head fitting upon the top of said timerhousing, and a spring clip ,Y for holding said distributor head inplacel upon said timer housing, said clip having its lower end pivotallyanchored in place in a suitable recess in the wall of said timerhousing, the lower side of said recess being sufliciently closed by saidsupporting base to prevent withdrawal of the lower end of said springclip vfrom said recess.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.v

CHARLES E. BERKDOLL.

